Clamp support for carrying artist&#39;s canvases



mmh 3, 1959 D. A. BARG 2,875,934

CLAMP SUPPORT FOR CARRYING ARTISTS CANVASES ,Filed July 22, 1957INVENTOR.

DORA A. BARG PARKER & CARTER ATTORNEYS United States Patent CLAMPSUPPORT FOR CARRYING ARTISTS CANVASES Dora A. Barg, Milwaukee, Wis.Application July 22, 1957, Serial No. 673,258

7 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) My invention relates to spacing clamps and moreparticularly to a clamp for supporting a freshly painted picture inspaced relation with another picture or with a protecting board or thelike. I

In the art of painting pictures it is imperative to protect the newlyapplied painted surface whether it be oil, or water color, from contactwith any article to mar or smudge the surface thereof. This isespecially true when the artist paints the surface of the workwhile-outdoors, or when it becomes necessary to transport or convey thefinished or semi-finished work to some other location.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple,-inexpensiveand efficient device which may be easily applied to drawings orpaintings, whether made on board or canvas of varied thicknesses, forspacing the paintings one from the other to protect the freshly appliedsurfaces. 7

A'further object of my invention is to provide'a device of the characterdescribed which is easily adjustable to accommodate either solid boardmountings, or academy board or canvas stretched over conventionalframes.

Sill another object of my invention is to provide a clamping meanshaving projecting contact areas, to insure minimum contact with thefreshly applied surfaces.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved form of attachmentdevice for the clamps readily adapted for carrying the paintings withthe aid of a strap or the like.

The present application is acontinuation-in-part of my prior applicationbearing'Serial No. 573,260, filed March 22, 1956, now abandoned.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the drawings, inwhich-- Figure l is a perspective view of the assembled unit constructedin accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section view of the assembled unit illustrating'the mannerin which it may be applied to two paintings on academy boards or thelike, to protect the painted surfaces, preferably disposed inwardly inopposite relation to each other;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but in which the outerclamping member has been extended to accommodate a pair of paintings onframed canvases;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a metal handle memberespecially adapted for use with the clamping device;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the outer clamp members;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the opposite outer clamp member;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the inner clamp member; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating two alternative ways inwhich the clamping device may be used to support one or more paintingsin connection with the carrying strap.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, andreferring now to the same, 10 indicates an insideinner base or clamp member, herein shown being made from flat stripmaterial such as metal or the like. It is formed in a U shape, includinga cross member 11 and downwardly bent legs or surface members 12 and 13.These surface members have a plurality of outwardly extendingprojections,

herein consisting of ribs 14 substantially parallel with the crossmember 11, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and3. These projections may bevaried in shape and arrangement to afford gripping contact with thepaintings at limited areas. 1

The cross member 11 has a central aperture 15, preferably squared asshown, to accommodate the square shank 21' of a conventional threadedcarriage bolt 21, herein shown as having a fiat, or semi-radial head atits bottom end.

Two outer clamp members 16 and 17 are each constructed of flat stripmaterial, such as metal or the like,

bent into generally L shape with a fiat longitudinal pot-- tion 18and-18 and integral downwardly bent end portions 19, 19'. Eachlongitudinal portion 18 and 18' has an elongated slot 20 disposedtherealong. The slots are of such width as to accommodatethe squareshank 21' of the carriage bolt 21 when it extends through the squareaperture 15 of the inner member 10.

In the preferred form shown, the flat longitudinal portion 18 of theuppermost outer clamp member 16 is made slightly longer than thecorresponding longitudinal portion 18 of the lower clamp member 17 so asto permi t the two outer clamp members 16 and 17 to be extended orretracted to the same'degree relative to the inner clamp member 10.

The reason for this difference in lengths will be manifest frominspection of Figure 2, wherein it will be seenthat collapsing movementof the longitudinal portion 18 of the lower clamp member 17 is limitedby engagement with the inner surface of the upper clamp member 16 whensaid clamp members are brought into closest proxalso constructed of fiatstripmaterial such as metal or the like, bent into an intermediate flatportion 25 of sub-' stantially the same length as the width of the clampmembers 16 and 17. The intermediate fiatportion 25 has a downwardlyextending flange 26 along one edge, and an upwardly and outwardlyinclined portion 27 along its opposite edge. The inclined portion 27 hasa longitudinal slot 28 formed therein parallel with the plate portion25, but shorter than the outside span of the legs' 12 and 13 of thelower cross member 11, for reception of a carr'y i'ng strap or the like,as will presently be'described.

The fiat plate portion 25 of handle member 24 also has a centralaperture 29, preferably squared, as shown, to accommodate the squareshank 21' of the carriage bolt 21.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the bolt 21 isinserted through the aperture 15 of the inner member 10 and extendsthrough the longitudinal slots 20 in the outer clamp members 16 and 17placed one above the other. It also extends through the aperture 29 inthe handle portion 24, which handle portion is disposed crosswise alongthe upper face of the longitudinal portion 18 of the clamp member 16.This retains the three clamp members and the handle member againstrotation relative to each other. The upper end of the bolt 21 isthreaded and a conventional wing nut 22 is employed to retain thecomponent parts togther which comprise the assembled device, butpermitting individual adjustment of the clamp members 16 and 17 tovarious distances relative to the inner member 10.

From the above description it will be manifest that as Patented Mar. 3,9

the parts 10, 16 and 17 are assembled as shown they may 'be slidablyadjusted in a manner to accommodate paintings or boards which are shownas 23 and 23 in Iiigpresi.and3.v V Thepaintings may-be ofany. thicknessandmayf be; of varyinggthicknesses at their edges. The

parts 16-iand,2l7.--are; slideably. adjustable.to.create-.a. fric1tinnal Contact of the inner faces:oftheclamping.portionsla-withiheouter-faces :ofportions 1-2-and13. of the innermember, 10.. Thexwingmut 22smay, be screwed down. to: clamp-allsthe=parts 10, 16."and.-17 in a rigid assembled: position, thereby,Supporting the paintings 23 and 23? in a:. manner; to.-have their.painted. surfaces 33. and. 33' op.- positely disgosed land spaced. apartfrom one another, to--- avoid contact. with anyobjectthat may smudge thefreshly applied paint, or the like.

. When :only one painting, such as 23lis.used,.the companidd part 235-mayxonsist. of-aplainprctecting board Qfxsir'njlarsize.

The :p rojeetions,.14.on .the outer. faces or they members a 12 and 13,as shown in Figures 2 and 3 will provide minimumacontact with thepainted-surfaces.

lttwill be understoodsthat in practice it is preferable.tomount-rfourclamp, members on each pair of paintings onthe-.like.,.two, of suchclamp-members being mounted on,-the :upperzedges andtheiother two being mounted on the; lower edges ofsaidpaintings; .asindicated in Fig: ure 8 When,the..clamps -.are disposed .in thernannershowniin-this-Figure, thehandlc members24. are preferably disposed sothat thedipwardlyinclined portions 27 f.--each.:opposed pair of clampsalong the top of .thc

paintingsare. inclinedinwardly towards each other, thusproviding,means-for connecting a strap 3050 that it is relatively tight. Thevportionsof .the strap. which pass downwardlybetween thetwo paintingswill be maintained.

under sufficient tensionso thatthey will not touch the inner surfaces ofthe paintings, particularly when such paintednsurfacesxmaylbe..wet 0rotherwisesubject to damage;

alternative .methodof :carrying the paintings with the. .aid.of a strapislalso indicated in .Figure8, wherein the Strap ,.30 maybe 100Pdg0lllYthrough the uppermost p1ir. ;of.,inwardly.extending portions 27 ofhandle members 24, and the return reach of the.strap.30 rnay be 4 4 maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A spacing clamp of the character described, comprising an innerU-shaped base member having a pair of spaced opposed outwardly facingcontact faces, and a centrally disposed, upwardlyprojecting threadedbolt, two clamping members, each consisting of a generally L -shapedpiece "of strip; material including a longitudinal portion with anelongated slot therealong, and a downwardly bent clamping; portion, saidclamping members being telescopically and removably assembled one overthe other and the-innerbase'member for relative-sliding movement, withthe threaded bolt' passing through the slots in said clamping members,and the clamping portions of said clamping members having faces opposedto the contact faces of said base portion at opposite sides Offthe-latteri so asitotpresent adjustably positionable pairs oficlampingfaces in spacedrelation to said bolt,--and--anut. on saidtbolthfor-.holding, said clamping members in a preselected adjusted positionrelative to said base member.

2. The strncture'ofclaim. l, wherein a plate havinga centralaaperture,an upwardly extending slotted flange along-oneend anda downwardlyextendingflange along.r itsother'end, is fittedtransversely over theuppermostclarnping. member with its central aperture adaptedtoregisterwith theslots'insaid clamping memberswhenits downwardly.extending flanges fits in non-rotativerelation over the adjacentedgezof' the adjacent clamping member, andthe securing bolt for theassembly-alsopasses through the central aperture in said plate so-thatthe latter-forms a-handle for the assembly, adaptedto receive a carryingstrap.

3. Thestructure-of claim 1, wherein-the'outercontact faces of said-basemember and the inner contact faces of said telescopic clamping memberseach have a pluralityv of contacting projections thereon.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the-base member has a-centrallydisposed'squaredaperture, and the'bolt has a squaredshank which fitslinnonrotative engagement-in said squared aperture of said base member.

5. The structure of claim4, wherein the squared shank of the boltalsoextends in: non-rotative fitting engagement in the longitudinal slots ofthe clamping members-- References'Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS

